[Norway] A Meeting in France

[Odinson]

KINGDOM OF NORWAY
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
​

SUBJECT: Personal Meeting in Paris
RECIPIENT: Augustine Rousseau, Colonel of Foreign Affairs (@Cam )
SENDER: Rolf Esmark, Ambassador of Norway to France
SECURITY: ENCRYPTED

Colonel Rousseau,

I hope that you are doing well. I was hoping that I could schedule a meeting between the two of us as soon as possible here in Paris. Please let me know when and where we could have this meeting, at your earlier convenience.
I look forward to meeting with you.

Best Regards,

Rolf Esmark
Norwegian Ambassador to The French Republic

 

[Cam]

Classification Level: CLASSIFIED ​ Dear Rolf Esmark, Ambassador of Norway to France, I am available for a meeting whenever you are, Ambassador Esmark. My office at L'hôtel du ministre des Affaires Étrangères is open to host you if you so wish, or we could host the meeting at your embassy. Whichever you are most comfortable with. Let me know what time you wish to meet and I will make all the necessary preparations. Best Wishes,​ Augustine Rousseau Colonel of Foreign Affairs

@Odinson

 

[Odinson]

The Norwegian Embassy sent the details of what time would be appropriate. The same encrypted message said that he would be happy to meet the Colonel at her office, and that he would be heading there posthaste. Ambassador Esmark took him via car to the Minister's office. With him he had his identification. He patiently waited outside to be allowed into the Foreign Ministry so that the meeting could take place.
@Cam

 

[Cam]

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The streets of Paris would be dotted with armed soldiers patrolling and assuring that the law was upheld and that stability was assured for the nation. Some people were still celebrating across the city: drinking, music, fireworks, and marching through the streets. Every flagpole had been replaced by the new French flag of the Sixth Republic and wanted posters had been posted for government officials of Le Pen's cabinet that had yet to be placed under arrest.

Each government building had a large amount of soldiers patrolling around them to assure the security of the new government officials. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs would be no different. Upon the Ambassador's arrival, a soldier dressed in a combat system donning the camouflage of Center Europe and wearing a SPECTRA F2 helmet would approach him, a FAMAS slung over his shoulder.

"Identification." Would be all the soldier would say to the Ambassador.

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@Odinson

 

[Odinson]

"Hallo!" Esmark replied in a friendly tone. While the site of soldiers occupying every square arpent of Paris was worrying, Esmark himself had been an officer in the Norwegian Army so the site of soldiers was not alien to him. The Ambassador offered his credentials to the soldier and said in French, "I have a meeting scheduled with Colonel Augustine Rousseau." He was wearing a suit, his watch, a wedding ring, and had nothing else on him besides an inkpin that he always kept in one of his suit pockets. He was in his late 40s, slim and tall, and had light brown hair. He adjusted his spectacles while the soldier inspected his identification.
@Cam

 

[Cam]

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The soldier would examine the man's credentials. The Colonel had already informed the soldiers of the meeting, but they had to be certain that the man was who he said he was. After inspection the soldier would hand back the Ambassador his credentials. "Everything seems good." He would tell him in French. "Follow me. I'll escort you to the Colonel." The inside of the building did not have any soldiers inside. It was populated by members of the government and their assistants, minding their own business like nothing had changed since the coup.

It was only a short walk to the room where the Colonel was waiting for the Ambassador. The soldier would knock and open the door when told to. He would salute. "Ambassador Esmark, Colonel."

"Thank you, Captain." Colonel Rousseau replied, "dismissed." The soldier would leave and close the door behind him. "Ambassador Esmark, please make yourself comfortable. I assume what you wanted to meet with me for is in regards to France's new government?"

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@Odinson

 

[Odinson]

The ambassador sat down across from the Rousseau's desk and sat up straight. He folded his hands and answered her question.
"I was told by Foreign Minister Vinter about the conversations that were had between he and your government. We understand that you intend to hold elections after the would-be term of the former President expires. If this is the case, I'm very happy to hear that, and the Norwegian government is of course happy to help in any way possible... But I came here today for a few other things. I'm sure you would agree that the former government of the French Republic, specifically the previous administration was not the most.. stable. For most of that time, we were hesitant to establish any more than nominal diplomatic relations.

"However, now that there is more stability here in Paris, and you have guaranteed a return to the republic, I was hoping that we could establish more formal relations. Have you had much luck in meeting with representatives of any other government around the world?" he asked.
@Cam

 

[Odinson]

@Cam

 

[Cam]

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"That's correct. France has suffered too much under the hands of dictatorships and tyrants, we have no intentions on remaining a military government forever, nor do we intent on letting something like the previous government happen again. That is why we are taking the remainder of this term to assure that all those of the previous government have faced justice and that they will not have the change to ruin France again.

The only other nation to have contacted us in a formal matter is China, all the others have simply publicly stated their stance on France's new government. We'd be more than happy to establish formal relations with your nation. What do you have in mind to begin this?"

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@Odinson

 

[Odinson]

"The Ministry of Trade has been working hard to make the Kingdom of Norway a trade-based nation that works with the rest of Europe, and other parts of the world. I can of course ask the Minister of Trade to contact the French government later, but I think trade would be mutually beneficial for both of our countries. Would you agree, in this regard?" he asked.
@Cam

 

[Odinson]

@Cam

 

[Cam]

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"Trade is always beneficial for the nations involved. Did you only have resources in mind for this trade or something more?"

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@Odinson

 

[Odinson]

"Well.. it's actually interesting that you mention that, or at least put it into words like that. I know this may sound a bit strange, but I've been asked by the Foreign Ministry to make this request. I'd like you to keep in mind that Norway respects France as a sovereign state, as well as its territorial integrity. I have been asked if France would be open to the idea of ceding a very small group of islands to Norway in return for a monetary compensation. The islands in question are the Iles des Saintes in the Caribbean, which are near the much bigger island of Guadeloupe. The population of these islands, from what we can see, only numbers around a few thousand. Do you think the French government would be open to considering such a trade?" he asked.
@Cam

 

[Odinson]

@Cam

 

[Cam]

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"A bit strange? Perhaps closer to insulting, Ambassador. Is this truly how the Foreign Ministry of Norway attempts in forming relations with nations? France's new government may seem inexperienced, Ambassador Esmark, but I believe I stand with them when I say no, France would not be interested in giving any territory away - not at this time. The coup was led preciously to keep the national and cultural integrity of France intact and to bring an end to the corruption of the Le Pen administration. Giving territory away would undue everything that we stand for.

Is there anything else you wish to discuss, Ambassador? Or was that all?"

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@Odinson